reactionary
adjective
re·ac·tion·ary
rē-ˈak-shə-ˌner-ē 
: relating to, marked by, or favoring reaction
especially
: ultraconservative in politics
reactionary
noun
Synonyms
Examples of reactionary in a Sentence
reactionary guardians of proper English usage invariably regard every new coinage that comes along as a nonword
Recent Examples on the Web
Labor unions were reactionary in nature, a backlash against the progress of the Industrial Age.
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Jacob Swartz, Orange County Register, 14 May 2024
To those rightfully unsettled by Keith’s thirst for blood, that song — and Toby Keith himself — became a symbol of all that’s wrong with Nashville, an easy shorthand for the most reactionary and regressive tendencies of country music.
—Nadine Smith, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for reactionary 
Jacob Swartz, Orange County Register, 14 May 2024
To those rightfully unsettled by Keith’s thirst for blood, that song — and Toby Keith himself — became a symbol of all that’s wrong with Nashville, an easy shorthand for the most reactionary and regressive tendencies of country music.
—Nadine Smith, Rolling Stone, 6 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for reactionary
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reactionary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Reactionary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reactionary. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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